 TUI has been blasted for telling a mum not to breastfeed on a flight because it 'could make other people uncomfortable'. Screengrabs show a customer services staff member suggesting to Thomas Williams, 28, that his wife Chelsea, also 28, should not feed their five-week-old baby on board. The message says: 'There are no official restrictions (on breastfeeding during a flight) however we would not recommend it because it could make other people uncomfortable.' TUI has since apologised, confirmed it 'supports breastfeeding on flights' and said it is conducting an 'urgent internal investigation'. Thomas had asked whether his wife could feed during take-off and landing because the family had already suffered a stressful time on their TUI flight to Almería, in Spain, on July 30. Chelsea had planned to feed their son at those times because she had read it helps prevent babies from experiencing ear pain. The mum, from Conwy, North Wales, had been nervous to travel with such a young baby and two-year-old toddler. The Williams family were excited to go on their five-week-old baby's first flight (Picture: Thomas Williams) Her baby was crying as they boarded the plane at Manchester Airport but was settled 'as soon they'd sat down and started to feed her'. Chelsea said: 'We had the baby buckled on the infant buckle that went on my seatbelt and she was feeding at the same time – this was working fine. 'So I was thinking 'she's not going to bother anyone and she'll be fed and she's happy'. So I was starting to feel a bit of relief at this point. 'Then they came to do the belt check and I was told that I couldn't feed for takeoff and landing. It wasn't permitted.' Chelsea stopped feeding because she 'didn't want to make a scene in terms of not cooperating' and thought 'maybe she'd missed something' in a safety policy. The family were told breastfeeding on a plane might make oth){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
TUI has been blasted for telling a mum not to breastfeed on a flight because it ‘could make other people uncomfortable’.
Screengrabs show a customer services staff member suggesting to Thomas Williams, 28, that his wife Chelsea, also 28, should not feed their five-week-old baby on board.
The message says: ‘There are no official restrictions (on breastfeeding during a flight) however we would not recommend it because it could make other people uncomfortable.’
TUI has since apologised, confirmed it ‘supports breastfeeding on flights’ and said it is conducting an ‘urgent internal investigation’.